A variety of systems are available to provide storm protection to openings on buildings that incorporate glass doors and windows. These protection systems range from crude plywood boards anchored to the surface of the building with nails, to electrically-operated, flexible steel shutters which can be rolled down from a storage position to cover window and door openings. Between these two extremes, there exists other types of shutter systems such as that which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,261 to Seaquist.
With the exception of window protection systems that rely simply on plywood or some other material nailed to the exterior of a building construction, most storm shutters require the existence of previously-installed mounting structure to facilitate fast and efficient installation upon receiving warning of an oncoming storm. In the case of roll-down steel shutters, the entire shutter is rolled inside a horizontal casing attached permanently above a window or door. In addition, for roll-down steel shutters, guide tracks must be provided along the vertical portions of the window or doorway to guide the shutter as it is rolled up and down in front of a window or door to be protected. Other systems, such as that which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,685,261 to Seaquist, require pre-installed mounting brackets to facilitate quick storm shutter installation in the event of a storm warning.
One significant problem concerning storm shutters is the manner in which they are installed. Since these storm protection systems are typically not part of the original design for the building on which they are installed, the methods employed for securing them to a building are not always sufficient to withstand very high wind speeds or impact from flying debris. This is a significant problem, particularly when unskilled laborers or inexperienced homeowners are installing these storm protection devices.
Even in those instances where storm shutter systems are properly installed, they may be prone to failure as a consequence of the location in which they are mounted. Specifically, since many shutter systems are installed on the outer surface of a construction, rather than within a window or door casing, they suffer from a common problem which relates to their vulnerability to being ripped out of their mounting by wind and debris. Shutter mounting structures, which are located on the outer surface of the building rather than in a window or door casing, are prone to experience greater stress from high winds. Substructures are also vulnerable to debris impacting upon such mounting structure, as flying debris is common in hurricane-strength storms.
The present invention is designed to alleviate the problems found in shutter mounting systems of the prior art, and to provide a window frame system capable of securely maintaining a storm shutter in position without detracting from the aesthetics of a house or building. The invention is also designed to provide an inexpensive shutter mounting system which can be easily and economically incorporated into the design of a building construction.